Jeb battles Bush fatigue

“If he sits down to do a balance sheet of pluses and minuses of running, it will be one of the things to consider, but in my mind wouldn’t disqualify him by any means,” veteran Republican strategist Charlie Black said. “Eight years is a long time. What people will learn is Jeb is a brother [to George W. Bush], but a different guy with a different approach.”

And many staunch supporters say the younger Bush won’t be bogged down by his brother’s political foibles.

Republican strategist and Bush administration alumnus Tony Fratto said people are asking the wrong questions about his potential bid.

“People wonder whether a Bush can run in this next cycle and I think so, but that’s not the right way to think about it,” Fratto said. “The right way for Jeb is does he have the fire in the belly to do it, and is he ready to go after it knowing what he knows which is unlike what a lot of other candidates know, what a big challenge it is.”

Jeb Bush has already faced the question in his recent re-emergence on the national political scene, where he’s tried to differentiate his politics from his family. He even had to defend his brother’s and father’s political legacies.

Former President George W. Bush was a looming presence last month when Jeb Bush hit the Sunday talk show circuit to promote his new book “Immigration Wars.”

“I don’t think there’s any Bush baggage at all,” Bush said on “Fox News Sunday” when shown a poll that former President George W. Bush is viewed unfavorably by almost a full majority of Americans.

He told host Chris Wallace: “I love my brother, I’m proud of his accomplishments. I love my dad. I am proud to be a Bush.”

Bush’s recent come back on the political scene comes as he has said he is seriously considering a presidential bid. His performance, so far, has been bumpy, particularly over comments he made on supporting immigration reform that doesn’t include a pathway to full citizenship for undocumented immigrants .